​I make it very clear that some of my writing is not for children. I have no qualms and no regrets. They have plenty of entertainment options. My primary portfolio is for readers sixteen and up. By that point, their parents should be aware of what their children are watching/viewing. Now, not all of my work is an exploitative gore-fest. Readers know that.

I'm going to focus on romance today, because there's nothing better to discuss on such a wonderful day. Below is a short, tender moment between Lt. Sarah Bryson and her husband, William Bryson, from Ruby Caves. This is an important scene. The hug, the quietness- a moment to let everyone relax before the extreme, inevitable violence. This is one of the parts where I actually (mostly) stray from putting my characters into emotional turmoil. Here, Sarah is fighting the past, even while remembering it. Remembering helps her keep focus of what's ahead of her.

​When I first began writing in full in high school, I was concerned with the number of what I thought were unoriginal movies. And then I read about an author saying that a lot of them start with fan fiction of sorts. I do not personally read too much fan fiction. A lot of it just gets too… weird and perverted, and that’s saying something if I’m worried about seeing it. Who knows, I could just be looking in the wrong places. None of that really matters now anyway. I write my own fan fiction, or that’s where some of it started!

​Pop culture has provided us with many snarky heroes, insults, and comebacks. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with a good threat or warning. When I watch Arnold Schwarzenegger threaten a much smaller guy, I start laughing at the ridiculous ways directors and screenwriters have to find to physically harm Arnold. When Liam Neeson threatens to kill his daughter’s kidnapper, his icy exterior and later bloodbath make it terrifying.

​Violence in the world is a terrifying, brutal thing to watch. Some experience it often. Others may never see it their entire lives. Regardless, it is a catalyst or reaction of conflict in many of my stories. For this reason when I portray violence in my story I have made a habit of attempting to not glorify it. We have seen those really gory movies that appear to rip people limb from limb, eviscerate them, behead them, and more. We know the tools of the trade. I am going to discuss the detail I put in my stories, and the reactions of my characters. This post is devoted to creature violence seen in Ruby Caves.

​Senioritis hit me hard for the Fall 2016 semester but I still made it out of my four classes alright. In three of them I earned a B. The fourth was a C+ (with .5 of a point away from a B). Papers, papers, and more papers. It is draining on the psyche to write so many of them. When I was finally done at the end of the day I don’t want to write. I’m so exhausted I need to let go of my laptop for a while. And I do not want to sit at my desk with a notebook. All I wanted to do was make dinner and watch a movie or TV show. Writing is not compatible with a tired me. It started affecting the pacing of my stories.

Happy Turkey Day, I hope everyone celebrating has gotten home safe with their loved ones! We take the tradition of saying, “I am thankful…” before dinner seriously. Personally I am thankful the ride home was smooth. I am also thankful for my family’s safety. I am thankful Mom is taking her life in stride and continues to be the moral guardian in my own life. I am thankful my brother is doing well in his classes and enjoying a strong social network. I am thankful my sister is getting the opportunity of a lifetime in Louisiana. I am thankful my grandmother is in good health and continues to be a strong link to family in other states, via stories of her early life in Florida.

From the very beginning of Ruby Caves, Dave has been part of Its world. From the very beginning of Dave, he has been followed by the Irish goddess of war Morrigan and the Grim Reaper. They have been his guardians and friends for a long time. Unfortunately, they have no place in his world anymore. In Ruby Caves I try to create a relatively concrete, grounded world with werewolves and other beasts running through it. Magic realism does not apply just because Dave can see them. It only applies when the entire world is in on the joke. Like if UFOs were to exists and everyone believed (and/or accept) them to be a part of everyday life. In the world of Ruby Caves the government and a few select, quieted, citizens knows about the existence of mythological creatures and alien life. Not everyone knows nor accepts their existence. As of yet I have not really involved gods into my stories.

​Back in October 2015, I released a few excerpts from my stories Mutant Cowboy Space Pirate and Ruby Caves in PDF format. If you haven’t read Halloween Excerpt 2 yet, check it out. Otherwise this post won’t make too much sense. This is about the werewolf problem in a sleepy little town in northern New Hampshire. During a violent werewolf attack on their cabin at a resort, Michael, the primary protagonist, discovers his father is also a werewolf. I only put in a couple of paragraphs about it in the excerpt, to find a clear enough ending for it.